


Imperfect Symbiosis

by oorsprong



Series: Second Honeymoon [3]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, Plot, dark things on the horizon, hux messes up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 11:34:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6852946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oorsprong/pseuds/oorsprong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Protective.  I anticipated that.  But surely a logical mind such as yours can be made to see reason.  I am not only in command of the fleet, I am a direct liaison to Supreme Leader Snoke.  Lord Ren will be informed of his request.  But I believe that he will agree willingly with your approval.”</p><p>“And if my approval is not forthcoming?”</p><p>“Oh, Hux,” she said softly,  “You’re only one man.  Who are you to stand in the way of the Supreme Leader’s vision?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Imperfect Symbiosis

The stars shone with an unusual clarity as Hux gazed up at them from the roomy hammock where he huddled against Ren.  No clouds, he noted, picking out the constellations with a measure of satisfaction.  The steady rise and fall of his husband’s breath lulled him into a comforting trance.  He’d longed to sleep under the starlight during his time alone but the temperature plummeted in the evenings this time of year.  When Ren was with him, however, they generated enough heat in the cozy berth to sleep comfortably under a heavy blanket.  There wasn’t room to roll or adjust as the hammock pushed them together in the middle but he enjoyed the intimacy of the experience so much that the mild stiffness in his joints the next morning seemed a trivial price to pay.  He’d couldn’t quite confess aloud to Ren how much he’d missed this small solace but Ren seemed to understand.

 

Sleeping in the hammock was a footnote on the list of what he’d dearly missed in their time apart.  Some of those things were so subtle he’d almost forgotten about them.  Like the way Ren’s big nose sometimes bumped against his while seeking out a source of heat to nestle in as they hovered on the verge of sleep.  Hux would press a drowsy kiss to the tip as of to say, _I’m here,_ and Ren would tuck in under his chin.  The past few nights his husband had nuzzled contentedly against his beard, sharing the warmth.  The feeling that welled up in him at the sweet gesture couldn’t be captured in words.  It pleased him to be so thoroughly appreciated.     

 

Ren mumbled something and Hux blinked and turned his head towards him.

 

“What was that?”

 

“...need to pee.”

 

Hux stretched and steadied the hammock so that Ren could slip out of it and stalk off into the darkness.  He never used the ‘fresher in the house when they slept outdoors.  Figuring he would take the opportunity to take care of that himself he went inside and noticed, startled, the blinking light signaling a new message on the com unit.  He checked the details, growing steadily more alarmed.  It had come through on a private channel a few moments prior with heavy encryption and demanded an immediate response.  Hux quickly went to relieve himself and then dressed in the most presentable clothing he had on hand, fixing his hair and beard in the mirror in preparation for his image to be broadcast.

 

The image that greeted him when responded was that of General Fiiranza in miniature.  She sat in a chair in what he supposed must be her private quarters.  The holo captured her from the waist up, hands folded primly in her lap.  The bluish tint made her look oddly ethereal; her wide-set eyes lined beneath with thin creases took on a slight glow.  In the flesh her childishly round face made her look younger than Hux.  Innocence seemed implicit in the softness of her nose and the pursed, plump lips with a hint of dimpling at the corners, in the straight black hair cut in a blunt fringe above carefully sculpted brows.  

 

Hux was not swayed by the illusion.  No one who had looked into those eyes could accuse them of innocence.

 

“Hux.  Let’s dispense with the pleasantries.  Supreme Leader Snoke has come to me with an interesting proposition.  I am quite taken with the idea and would like to outline it to you in hopes that we will have your blessing.”

 

Snoke.  The name was a swift kick to his chest and he fought to keep composure.

 

“Very well,” Hux said.  “You have my attention.”

 

“It seems that Kylo Ren has surpassed his expectations.”  

 

What an understatement.  In Ren the Supreme Leader had unleashed something beyond his power to contain.  Even Fiiranza had to realize it.

 

“However,” she continued, “Kylo Ren is only one man.  Imagine what Snoke could do with an army of force-sensitives trained from birth to do his bidding.”

 

Hux leaned forward, lacing his fingers together.  “What you’re describing sounds like the stormtrooper program.  I was under the impression that it was impossible to guarantee force-adept children, even between two force-sensitive individuals.  Even if there were enough of them out there to create an army how would we locate them?”

 

“You’ve pinpointed the problem but the Supreme Leader has an ingenious solution.  Are you aware of the Cuis genome project?”  She tilted her head and might have even smiled.

 

“The stormtroopers cloned from Sa Cuis?” He scoffed.  “A failed experiment.  Using a Dark Jedi as a template only created six unstable elements.  We don’t even have the technology to replicate the process of cloning force-sensitive individuals who retain their power.”

 

“That’s where you’re wrong.  The Supreme Leader has access to resources beyond your wildest dreams.  Furthermore, he already has a prototype.  Or rather, he will have should Lord Ren be pleased with his offer.”

 

Hux was unable to school his expression in response to the outrageous notion.  His disdain for cloning aside, the thought bordered on blasphemy.

 

“He wishes to clone _Lord Ren?_ ”

 

“No, of course not. Lord Ren is special as I’m sure you agree.  What the Supreme Leader has suggested is a perfect amalgam of Lord Ren’s vast potential with a stable element of superior genetics.  That element of course being me.”

 

_No.  Not this._

 

“He wishes you and Lord Ren to… breed?”

 

“I like you, Hux.  You always get to the heart of the matter.  Yes, as you so crudely put it.  Don’t be alarmed.  I’m not interested in doing things the old fashioned way.  The child will be the product of the most cutting edge inorganic birth process.  We will grow him, or perhaps her if my recommendation is taken, completely outside the womb.  The first batch of clones will be ready by the time the child is ten years old.”

 

“That’s insane,” Hux snapped, forgetting who he was speaking to, “how would you even guarantee that Lord Ren had passed on his sensitivity to the child?”

 

“The Supreme Leader has forseen it.  Regardless, If the child does not progress to the Supreme Leader’s liking within the first few years we will destroy the original and the first batch of clones and try again.  We estimate that three or four prototypes could be created and assessed over a period of ten years.”

 

She must have seen something in his expression because her eyes narrowed  

 

“Curious.  Is the man credited with the destruction of the Hosnian system somehow morally opposed to destroying a child?”

 

“General,” he began carefully, “you should really be asking Lord Ren about this.”

 

“I’m not asking Lord Ren.  I’m asking you.”

 

Personally he was glad she hadn’t.  He could only imagine Ren’s reaction.  It wouldn’t be pretty.

 

“What makes you think my opinion on this matter is the deciding one?”

 

“Don’t play coy with me, Hux.  I see things for what they are.  You have tamed Lord Ren and he will defer to you.  I have seen it before.”  She sat back, drumming her fingertips lightly on the tabletop and watched his stoicism slip away at her pointed remarks as though it were a source of personal amusement.

 

“I have not _tamed_ Lord Ren, General.”  He dragged out each word in an effort to control the tone of his voice.

 

“He is a fierce warrior but you are the brains of the operation, I think.  It’s a perfect symbiosis.  You have managed what most can only dream of in terms of maximizing their own potential.”

 

Hux exhaled slowly.

 

“General, I am not Ren’s keeper and he is not my _whore,_ he’s my husband.  I do not appreciate your tone or your suggestion.  You may be in command of the fleet but I am outside your purview.  Do not presume to speak on what you don’t understand.”

 

“Protective.  I anticipated that.  But surely a logical mind such as yours can be made to see reason.  I am not only in command of the fleet, I am a direct liaison to Supreme Leader Snoke.  Lord Ren will be informed of his request.  But I believe that he will agree willingly with your approval.”

 

“And if my approval is not forthcoming?”

 

“Oh, Hux,” she said softly,  “You’re only one man.  Who are you to stand in the way of the Supreme Leader’s vision?”

 

They stared at one another across incalculable light years and two short meters of silence.  Hux drew himself to his full height and inclined his head slightly.

 

“I will carefully consider the Supreme Leader’s request.”

 

“Good,” she said coolly.  “Remember, the Supreme Leader’s victory is our victory.”

 

The image snapped off, leaving him shaking in the darkness of the office.

 

When he walked back out to the hammock Ren held it steady for him.

 

“Fiiranza just called on us.”

 

In a flash Ren was on his feet and coming to stand in front of him.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?  What’s happening?  Do we need to leave?”

 

“No…  It was just…  I don’t know.”

 

The knight put his hands on Hux’s shoulders and peered at him.  

 

“Tell me what’s wrong.  Something’s upset you.”

 

The words caught in his throat and he pushed them back down again.  Damnable Fiiranza and that monster Snoke had ruined everything.  Then he realized he was being selfish and looked up into Ren’s eyes.  Nothing but trust lay in the dark depths of his irises.  Could Hux hold off and bide for time?  Would it be fair to Ren?  Would it be fair not to?

 

“She mentioned Snoke and it startled me.  She… wanted to know if I was coming back.  I told her I was.”

 

Ren took a step back.

 

“Are you sure that’s all it was.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Now he was lying but he thought he knew the trick of it.  He only had to convince himself.  He pushed the memory down as far as it would go and his face contorted in a painful smile.  Obvious.  Pathetic.  Ren would know he was hiding something but with any luck he wouldn’t know what.

 

“Brell.  There’s something you want to tell me.”  

 

“There really isn’t,” Hux said.  “I’m tired and I’d like to forget the whole thing.  I just don’t like being reminded of Snoke's presence.”

 

That was true enough at least.

 

“Come on, let’s go back to sleep.”

 

Ren looked away and without another word walked into the house, leaving Hux standing there in a fresh flood of guilt.

 

He knew he should follow Ren, explain the situation, figure it out, but he couldn’t make himself move.  He only had to picture Fiiranza’s prim little smile and the knowing look she gave him.  With a weary sigh he climbed back into the hammock and huddled under the blanket.  It still smelled like Ren.  He’d never get back to sleep.

 

Whatever tenuous game they were playing, she and Snoke and he and Ren, it was about to come to an end one way or another.  

 


End file.
